Equipment for electric heating



p 9, 1941- F. s. DENNEEN ETAL EQUIPMENT FOR ELECTRIC HEATING Filed Oct. 15, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig. 1

A 720 8115 Y6 V p 1941- F. s. DENNEEN ETAL.

EQUIPMENT FOR ELECTRIC HEATING Filed Oct. 15, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Eilillllllllll |ll|ll llllEl I Patented Sept. 9, 1941 EQUIPMENT FOR ELECTRIC HEATING Francis S. Denneen, Cleveland, and William C. Dunn, Shaker Heights, Ohio, assignors to The Ohio Crankshaft Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application October 15, 1938, Serial No. 235,256

6 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanical handling and work supporting equipment employed, for instance, in heat treatingthe journals of-a shaft or the like, and is more particularly directed to an equipment used to support the hardening units for inductively hardening crankshafts and eccentrics.

Heat treating the surface zones-of shafts has become a' well established branch of industry and the quantity of shafts to be treated renders it essential to provide mechanical apparatus to act in conjunction with the heat treating devices. in order to treat shafts of various sizes at a rapid rate. It is desirable to be able to mount a shaft and successively heat-treat the various Journals thereon without excessive manual handling of the shaft or placing it in another apparatus. It

is also desirable to prowlde an adjustable mounting for a plurality of heating and quenching units adjacent a shaft mounting,'in order to expedite as indicated by the lines 2-2, 3-3 and 4-4 thereon; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are a side and front elevation, respectively, on a greatly reduced scale showing the cabinet employed in our invention. In general, our invention comprises a vertical framework with a support to hold a shaft or the like vertically in the mid-portion of the frame. The support holds the shaft slightly tilted to maintain it in place under the influence of gravity. A guideway is provided parallel to the supthe heat treatment and reduce the time interval required.

The general object of our invention therefore has been to devise an apparatus for mechanically ,handling different sized shafts to be hardened, as well as to provide heating and quenching units which maybe located to register with successive Journals to be hardened. Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description when read in the light of the accompanying drawings and the important features thereof are summarized in the claims. 7

Briefly. our invention is embodied in a framework which is adapted to support a shaft in a generaily'vertical position in the middle part thereof. On each side of the supported shaft are guideways which carry a plurality of complete heat treating units. These units principally comprise a compound inductor and quenching device and a transformer to supply current to the inductor. These cooperating elements are in turn mounted on sub-frames individually slideable in the guideways and are bodily shiftable transverse-v ly of the guideways. As hereinafter explained in detail, the mechanism will accommodate shafts of different lengths, different degrees of throw and with different spacing between adjacent journals. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in .the claims; the annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail certain mechanism constituting, however, but one of various mechanical means in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings- Fig. 1 is a front elevation partly in section of our improved hardening apparatus;

ported shaft on each side thereof and slideably mounted on each guideway are two composite heating and quenching units. To heat treat successive parts of the shaft, the sub-frames supporting the inductors and quench units moved up and down along the guideways and the units themselves are moved transversely of the guideways. By means of adjustments hereafter described, various sizes of shafts may be handled.

Referring now to Fig. 1, we provide a framework built up of structural steel angle iron members Ill welded or riveted together to form a sup port for the active portions of the equipment .comprising our invention. As shown in Fig. 5,

the framework is of considerable depth to form a box-like structure. A sheet metal case C is formed to surround the entire equipment and protect the mechanism therein from dirt and confine the forcibly sprayed quench hereafter described to the interior.

As shown in Fig. 6, the front of the equipment case is provided with an enlarged central opening which may be closed by a pair of slidable glass doors II; the glass sealing the interior and still permitting the examination of the material under treatment. by a workman. Above the doors I! is an instrument panel it which carries the necessary controls and meters for determining the conditions under which the machine will operate. Secured to each side of the lower face of the frame is a pair of tubular structural memhers I! which serve as slideways for the heat treating equipment hereinafter described. Each pair of tubular members is supported in a common pad it by caps H. The pads are riveted or otherwise secured to the top and bottom of the front face of the frame.

Two heat treating units slide up and do along each tubular slideway, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The units proper are each mounted on a sub-frame it and comprise a heating and quenching unit, a transformer and the necessary operating connections therefor. The subframes may be adiustably position and retained along the guideways by respective threaded rods I! and II, the former threadingly enzasins the upper sub-frame and the latter threadingly engaging the lower sub-frame. A wrench connec- Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are sections through Fig. 1, tion at the top of each rod i! and Ill permits its rotation in the frame and corresponding block proper. The lower block is supplied movement of the sub-frame along the tubular through a pipe 44 which discharges to the inmembers. terior of a chamber 45 in communication with a To permit adjustment of the equipment for difcorresponding chamber 46 formed in the inductor ferent size articles each heat treating unit is 5 block and which is connected to the work adslidable transversely to the guideways I5 in slidejae ce t block by e fi s T0 ways of the respective sub-frame i8. To this further reinforcethe mounting of the inductor end a rack 22 is provided on the lower portion of block the same is bolted as at 41 to the member each unit and this is engaged by a pinion 23 ro- 50, in which the chamber 45 is formed. The tatably carried in the corresponding sub-frame member 50 in turn is bolted to an extension 52 1 l8. From the description thus far it is apparent of the transformerunit. that, depending on the position of the threaded Q h s ppl d o t e nductor section 39 rods, and the respective pinion 23, any desired t h the arm S arm which is w. position of the heat treating unit may be attained is formed in two sections which are joined by a within the operating limits of the mechanism. r ber hose connection 53. The inductor is The heat treating unit, which is slidable trans- Properly spaced from-the pivot about the pipe 36 versely of the guideways I 5, includes a transby a radius pl Q h i uppl d o he former to provide the desired operating current p e 39 gh a upply nduit 51 and then to the inductor member. As shown in Fig. 2, I passes through the hollow interior of. the arm this transformer comprises a secondary 24 and a 33 o a chamber o ed in he b ock 39 and primary 25 connected to a suitable sour e 1' in communication with the work adjacent face periodically varying current. The secondary in thereof r h he ifi s 42- turn is provided with leads which connect with After the Work has been raised to the p p the inductor element adapted to lie in prede- I r t re y e inductive heating elements termined spaced relation with the article to be quench is u an ous y upp d through the hardened. One inductor element is provided for pipes 44 d 57 nd the e ated passa a d is each transformer and the unit carried by respecb y d s a ged against the work to rapi ly tive sub-framesv l8 may each be operated inde- 1 he ame I pendently of the other. The arm 38 and its associated inductor seg- Each inductor is made in two parts and may 3 ment 9 may be pivoted to the dotted line posibe opened to receive within it the journal of the I t on s own n Fi 2 o e mit reely cat n a shaft to be hardened, after which the inductor shaft to e ed in he l t o e eis closed and clamped by power means hereafter With- After the ork has been positioned and As shown in Fig. 2, we provide a pair of spaced 3 Fig. 2 it is positively clamped in cooperating rebars 21 and 28 which are located in the translation with the inductor segment 32. former case by bolts 29 and are maintained as a h clamping is mpl shed by a O clamp unit by a bolt 30 which is electrically insulated 60 which at e d engages a shoulder o from the bars. At its outward end the bar 21 is the a m 38 a d at th t e d is ed as at formed to provide a circular segment 32 of the 52 to a l crank he ell rank in turn is complete inductor. The bar 28 terminates at its Pi ot ly ca r ed by arms 65 inte ral with the. end in a, contact block 33 b lte th t I extension 32 from the transformer case. The The inductor unit is completed by a u t; pivotfree end of the bell crank 64 is connected to an ally carried on the transformer case. To this end air piston mechanism 66 by a link 61. The p a pair of outwardly extending brackets 35 are m ch ism in n s nt ra ly ca ri d y the bolted to the said case and support a hollow pipe extension A n n p i 53 n c s he 36 employed, as hereafter described, to supply end Of the bell crank to the frame 01' the unit to quenching fluid to the inductor. Pivotally cara y B o release he p m ried by the pipe in the extension 35 is an arm 38 I eltihg P s 011 the Shoulder The p whlch in turn carries an inductor e tion 39 ing movement of the clamp relative to'the bell adapted to cooperate with the inductor section crank s ed by a S carried y e C 32 to form an encircling unit for inductively heatla p d a compression Spring interposed ing a journal positioned therebetween. The inbetween the boss and a corresponding boss on ductor segment 39 is bolted to the arm 38 at 40 the bell crank. After the inductors have been in such manner that it is electrically insulated positioned with respe t o each other and the therefrom, c clamp is moved from the dotted line position Current from the transformer secondary passes of Fig. 2 to the solid line po the ppl athrough the bar 21 and the inductor segment 32 tion of air to-the mechanism 66 pushes the bell and then through the inductor. segment 39 and crank away from it and draws the 0 cl mp d wnback through the bars 33 and 28. To accomplish Ward y about its pivot 51 to mp t e d ctors this complete circuit a pair of similar silver con together. tact blocks 38 and 39' are mounted on the bar The crankshaft to be hardened is carried in 33 and the inner edge of the inductor 39 and on the frame by supporting mechanism which is the inductor 32 and outer edge of inductor 39, readjustable to accommodate various size shafts. spectively, to complete an electrical engagement 5 This adjustment, with the possible adjustments with the inductor 39 when the same is closed of the sub-frame l8 and the transformer carried about a journal. Current is then passed from thereby, permits the use of apparatus of our inthe transformer through the inductor and, in a vention with many different kinds of shafts and, manner well known in the art, raises the adfor instance, by racking the inductors tothe cenjacent surface zone of the crankshaft to a hard- 7 ter line of the frame a perfectly straight shaft ening temperature, after which the same is may be handled. quenched, The weight of a shaft undergoing hardening is Quench is supplied and forcibly directed carried by a pair of brackets 15 secured to the against the heated surface through a plurality of lower portion of the inner tubular members l5. orifices 42 formed in each section of the inductor These brackets extend outwardly, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and merge to form a head-11, which in turn carries a boss 18 with a hole adapted to threadingly receive a screw ID. The screw is provided at its upper portion with a shoulder M which supports a plate on which the shaft end 5 rests. A hollow bracket 12 surrounds the screw III to protect the same and aids in positioningthe shoulder 8| thereof. A U-shaped guide plate It rests on the plate It to facilitate locating the shaft in a central position thereon. By rotation 10 of the screw I! the plate 83 may be adjusted vertically of the framework to correspondingly position a shaft thereon.

The supported shaft is tilted towardthe rear of the apparatus, as shown in Fig. 5, to retain it in position by gravity. As shown in Fig. 3, the upper end of the shaft lies within a V-plate I, which is adjustably carried on a frame bracket 8! by a screw 81 in a manner similar to that described in connection with the support for the lower end of the shaft. The bracket IS in turn is rigidly secured to the top cross-member II of the frame. To prevent rotation of the shaft and properly position the eccentric portions thereof for cooperation with the hardening unit, a locator 90 is provided. This locator has a U-shaped recess and is provided with three screws 92 which are adjusted to accommodate the size and throw of the crank pin. The locator is bolted to an angle member 04 and this in turn is bolted to a bracket 95, which may be clamped as shown in Fig. 3 to a tubular frame member ii. The member 00 is vertically adjustable with respect to this tubular member I! to accommodate shafts having various crank pin locations.

Since the currents passing through the leads 21 and 28 are of high density, the temperature of these leads tends to rise rapidly during the heating interval. To prevent a harmful rise in temperature, these leads are drilled as at 8! and 86 to provide passages for cooling water which is supplied through fittings, such as 91 and $8. The water is delivered to these fittings by flexible hose lines. Similarly, passages 99 and Hill are provided in the inductors for cooling fluid which is supplied through suitable fittings and hose lines to cool the same.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that we have provided an improved mechanical apparatus for handling shafts and the like which are to be subjected to heat treatment.-

Other modes of applying the principle of our invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any ,of the following claims or the equivalent oi." such stated means be employed.

We therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention:

1. In apparatus of the class described, a frame 00 comprising four rectangularly disposed structural members, means comprising a pair of structural members forming part of and lying on opposite sides of said frame and closely adjacent and parallel to a respective side member thereof to form a pair of guideways, a pair of heat treating units one slideably mounted on each guideway, and including an inductor member extending into the central space between said gated article parallel to said guideways and in said central space in cooperating relation with both said inductor members.

2. In apparatus of the class described, a generally rectangular frame, means comprising a pair of members forming part of said frame and lying parallel to each other and spaced apart to provide a pair of parallel guideways, a pair of sub-assemblies one slidably mounted on each guideway and each including an inductor member extending onto the central space between said guideways and a support to maintain an elongated article parallel to said guideways and in said central space in cooperating relation with said inductor members.

3,. In apparatus of the class described, a frame, means comprising a pair of membersforming part of said frame and lying parallel to each other and spaced apart to provide a pair of parallel guideways, a pair of sub-frames one slidably mounted on each guideway, a slideway formed in each sub-frame extending transversely of said first guideways, an inductor member slidable along each of said slideways and extending into the central space between said guideways and movable toward and from said guideways and a support to maintain an elongated article parallel to said guideways and in said central space in cooperating relation with said inductor members.

4. In apparatus of the class described, a frame, a support carried by said frame for an elongated article to be heat treated, a guideway in said frame parallel to said supported article, a subframe slideable along said guideway, an inductor member carried by said sub-frame and comprising two parts, one part pivotally mounted with respect to the other part to permit said inductor to lie in cooperating embracing relation with suc- 5 ce'ssive portions of said article, clamping means movably carried by the sub-frame independently of said inductor member to retain said separable sections of said inductor in cooperating relation with said article and means for moving said clamping means to apply clamping pressure to said inductor parts through said clamping means.

5. In apparatus of the class described, a frame, means comprising a pair of members forming part of said frame and lying parallel to each other and spaced apart so as to provide a pair of parallel guideways with a central space therebetween, a pair of sub-frames one slidably mounted on each of said parallel guideways and each having a slideway extending transversely of said parallel guideways, a pair of inductor supporting members one slidable along each of said slideways, a pair of segmental inductor members one carried by each of said inductor supporting members and each extending into the central space between said parallel guideways, one segment of each of said segmental inductor members being pivotally carried by its respective inductor supporting member and a support to maintain an elongated article parallel to said parallel guideways in said central space in cooperating relation with said segmental inductor members.

6. In apparatus of the class described, a frame, means comprising a pair of members forming part of said frame and lying parallel to each other and spaced apart to provide a pair of parallel guideways, a pair of sub-assemblies one slidably mounted on each guideway and each including an inductor member extending onto the central space between said guideways and a supguideways, and a support to maintain an elonport to maintain an elongated article parallel to said guideways and in said central space in cooperating relation with said inductor members.

FRANCIS S. DENNEEN. WILLIAM C. DUNN. 

